Til The End Of Time
by eyesvacant
Summary: Both Enjolras and Eponine are lonely souls. Both of them have accepted they will never love or be loved. But after one lonely, seemingly casual night when their souls collide, will there be consequences that they didn't expect? Consequences that will affect their lives, for better and worse, and eventually lead them to their death? (E/E, read and review please!)
1. In A Bed That Wasn't Hers

**A/N: This is just an introductory chapter, so bear with me. Next chapter will begin explain things. Please, please, please review! It would mean the world to me. I don't own Les Miserables.**

Eponine woke up, her eyelids peeled apart slowly, stuck together with sweat and tears. Her dark hair stuck to the side of her face. Her fingers lingered over her cheek, pulling away the strands of hair, her brow furrowed.

She lay on her back, shifting around carefully. Eponine noticed that she wasn't wearing anything but the slip she wore under her daily dress. The threadbare straps on it hung off of her shoulders, exposing her sharp collarbones.

She was in a bed that wasn't hers.

Eponine looked up at the unfamiliar ceiling. It was much nicer than the one in her bedroom at the house she occasionally stays at, the one she can't bear call home. It was always leaking, leaving large, dark stains in the cheap material. It dripped onto her forehead in the middle of the night, waking her up.

This ceiling was different. It was white and untouched.

Eponine turned on her side, seeing Enjolras sleeping soundly beside her.

It had started last night. She had just walked Marius to Cosette's house, looking after him, smiling. When he was happy, so was she. He would walk quickly, a small smile playing on his lips, mumbling things about his Cosette. His Cosette. He always called her his Cosette. He was her Marius.

Eponine didn't know why she went along with it. She thought it was because she was so invested with him. She didn't care where he was going, even if he was going to meet his soulmate, she just loved being with him. She would be with him and absorb everything he would say and do. Later, she would carry these memories around with her in the darkness of the streets after everyone had shut her doors.

But that night was different. Something changed in Eponine. When she saw Marius run to the gate and Cosette run just as quickly towards him, something broke inside of her. The way her small hands fit perfectly in his broad ones. The way they looked at each other.

She felt as though it was all official now. There was no going back after this. Marius and Cosette had been seeing each other for a few months now. But all of a sudden it seemed so final. The way they fit together had changed. It had gotten drastically serious, their movements towards each other urgent and true.

Eponine didn't wait for him to finish swooning over his Cosette. She left without him, nearly running back to the cafe. Rain began to fall and she began to cry. Rain water and tears streamed down her face, flowing into each other. Soon, she couldn't tell the difference between the two waters, nor did she care. Thunder rumbled softly overhead, and soon Eponine began sobbing, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Her wet hair stuck to her face.

Eponine shuddered the minute she got into the cafe, grateful to be in the warmth. She breathed heavily, holding her sobs inside of her, wiping at her eyes before she realized no one would be able to tell the difference. It was eerily dark, and it seemed the whole cafe was only lit by one candle. Eponine took a few more deep breaths before walking up the stairs slowly, sniffling and shivering from the rain.

"Hello?" A loud voice came from the top floor of the cafe. She recognized that voice as Enjolras's. One of the young revolutionaries who frequented the small cafe. "Who's there?"

Eponine struggled, a sob caught in her throat. "It's me, sir. It's Eponine."

Eponine and Enjolras had met many times, but had only passed not more than one hundred words. She was intimidated by him, and preferred to make small talk with Joly or play dominos with Grantaire. Enjolras always seemed so serious all the time, and Eponine didn't like that. One thing they had in common was that they both liked to mask their emotions. Enjolras behind parchment, Eponine behind a smile.

"Come in." Enjolras responded briefly.

Eponine continued to walk up the stairs before getting to the main room of Cafe Musain. It was dark, only one candle painting dark shadows of the two people on the walls. The chairs to the table were pushed out and crooked, suggesting a meeting had just been dismissed. Eponine sat down in one, sniffling.

Enjolras sat with his back to her, writing furiously on a piece of parchment. Surely something about General Lamarque's illness and how it was worsening.

Lamarque had gotten sick about a month earlier, and he was slowly getting weaker and weaker. This put Enjolras in a state of panic. He gave Lamarque another year to live, and had started making plans for a revolution to begin.

She liked the idea, knowing that it could help her get out of the rut she was stuck in. She could become successful, surely, doing something. Eponine could make a difference for women, she would be strong and independent. She already was different than most girls and women, living mostly on her own. Mostly because now, she didn't have any other choice. She cringed, shuffling in her seat uncomfortably.

Enjolras turned around in his chair, glancing back at Eponine. She was shaking, water dripping from her hair and her tattered old dress. Suddenly, his heart reached out for her. He couldn't tell if she had been crying or if it was just water from the rain that continued to drip from her face.

He got up and went over to the fire pit behind her, setting up a fire.

"Would you like some tea, sir?" Eponine asked quietly. "I can make some quickly..."

"You stay sitting... I'll make it." Enjolras responded, brushing his hands on his pants and heading over to the stove top.

"No. You can get back to work," She said. "I'm sorry to have interrupted you."

"I needed a break anyways..." A kind smile tugged a the side of Enjolras's mouth.

Now, Eponine lay in the bed in the back of the cafe. She didn't know what happened... or she didn't want to. She _did_ know what happened, she just didn't want to _think_ about it. She planted her small, bare feet on the wooden of the small back room in the cafe and stood up slowly, careful not to stir Enjolras. She grabbed her dress from the floor, cringing, and put it on over her head, ignoring the way it hung off of her body that was growing more scrawny every day.

Enjolras lay on his stomach, the sheets of the mattress pulled up to the middle of his torso, exposing his freckled bare back. The look on his face was one of pure innocence and pleasure, his lips parted slightly. She looked down at him grimly, turning around and tucking her hat onto her head.

She looked once more at Enjolras, vowed to herself to never let anything like that ever happen again, and closed the door behind her.

But the vow would be broken soon.


	2. Just For One Night

**A/N: A bit of a longer chapter. Thank you for all of the reviews, follows, and favorites! It's really motivating. I don't own Les Miserables. **

Eponine stepped out of Cafe Musain, peering around self consciously. She felt as though everyone knew what she had done. Her stomach whined hungrily. She thought about how she could walk back into the Cafe just as easily, break open a couple of eggs that she knew were sitting in the ice box right at that moment, and eat.

But then Enjolras would wake up.

She was tempted, but she walked on, feeling her pockets for any money. She picked a fifteen sous piece out of one and took a detour to the bakery.

Her head throbbed. She hadn't had anything to eat since yesterday morning and hadn't had any water to drink since the afternoon before, when she was walking to the cafe in the rain, her mouth open as she was sobbing. Eponine shook her head, approaching the small bakery.

She recognized the baker as a man who used to frequent the Inn her family owned. When she was very little, her father would make her bring him cup after cup of wine. He also used to make her pick pocket him. A wave of guilt washed over her as she approached the counter.

"How much is a loaf of bread?" Eponine asked quietly, glancing at the baker briefly.

"Twenty sous, m'dear." He responded, grinning a toothless grin.

"Twenty sous?" She asked, dumbfounded at the price. "I only have fifteen..."

"I'm sure we could work somethin' out, love..." The baker nudged her with his elbow, raising his eyebrows.

Eponine recoiled, blinking. All of the guilt she had felt a few seconds before disappeared quickly. "Just give me half a loaf for ten." She sneered, biting the inside of her cheek.

The baker rolled his eyes and handed over the bread. Eponine placed her fifteen sous piece in his hand, waiting expectedly for change. He just stood there, shooing her off with his hand bitterly.

"Scum." She sputtered at him before turning around and walking away, holding the warm half loaf of bread to her cold body. Her dress hadn't fully dried yet, and it was still slightly damp from the rain. Eponine didn't feel quite ready to go back to her house yet, so she found an alley and settled down into it.

Eponine sat down and bit into the bread gratefully. It was a good loaf, fresh, full of nuts and grains. Her brain felt warm and functional. She swallowed and rested her head on the back of the wall, feeling her eyes grow heavy.

She had barely slept at all the night before. After what they had done, Enjolras had fallen asleep right away. It took Eponine longer. She feel asleep at about four in the morning. It was currently six o'clock in the morning. She hadn't even slept two hours. Eponine could feel herself falling asleep against the wall.

She finished the bread and began to walk back to her house. She didn't feel like dealing with her parents who would most likely be home, so she climbed up the ladder that was propped up on the side of the house, climbed onto the roof, and crawled in through a large window into her room. Eponine wedged the window closed again and drew the curtains together, swallowing a yawn.

She nearly collapsed on her mattress, pulled the blankets up to her ears, and curled gratefully into the bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

The words vibrated through Eponine's skull as soon as she fell asleep, sending her straight back to the last place she wanted to go. Back to the cafe the night before where Eponine sat desperate and depressed. The memory played in her head.

"I needed a break anyways..." Enjolras said with a half smile.

Eponine just nodded, letting him set the kettle on the stove and get out two mugs. He was humming some sort of tune while the water boiled. This was rare for him, to be in such a good mood. Eponine let her eyes roam over to his desk and she saw a stack of parchment binded up. It looked like it was ready to be sent away. He must have just finished something big.

She noticed what was making her cold were her clothes. Even though her skin was nearly dried by the fire, her clothes were still soaking wet. She shivered. They seemed to be getting more cold and wet by the minute.

"Enjolras?" Eponine asked in a tentative voice.

"Yes?"

"You wouldn't happen to have an extra set of clothes here, would you?"

"I would not."

"Oh." Eponine said quietly, unsure of what to do. "Do you have any towels or blankets?"

"There is a towel in the washroom in the back and a blanket on the mattress in the spare room," He nodded, "You could use one or the other. Why?"

"My clothes are wet from the rain..."

"Oh..." Enjolras glanced at her for a minute. "_Oh_..."

"I need to..."

"Take them off?" He suggested, swallowing a lump in his throat.

Eponine could feel her face get hot. She nodded.

"You may go to the spare room or the bathroom to change."

She nodded gratefully. "Thank you, sir."

"You don't need to call me sir, Eponine. I am a friend of yours."

"Yes, a friend." Eponine nodded, smiling softly. "I'll be right back, si-... Enjolras."

Eponine returned to the table a few minutes later. Her wet hair was toweled dry and brushed back with a hair brush she had found in one of the drawers. Her face looked fresh and clean, the dirt that usually made a thin layer on her skin was washed off completely. Her brown eyes looked bright and lively. She wore nothing but a light blue towel that hung down to the middle of her pale, thin thighs. It was wrapped carefully around her in a blunt line just beneath her collarbone.

Enjolras couldn't help but stare at her, taking in every aspect of her body that he could see. From the pale, freckled skin of her shoulders, the sharp cut of her collarbones, the cheekbones with natural dark blush. He took all of this in and was left breathless.

He wanted to see more.

He had kissed a girl only once in his life. In first grade during a sort of game, a girl kissed him on the corner of his mouth clumsily. He had wiped it off with the back of his hand, annoyed. Enjolras had never had a feminine companion. He had never physically been with a girl.

But suddenly he wanted to be with Eponine, in every meaning of the word.

Eponine stared back. Suddenly, something overcame her. A sudden want that was quickly turning into a need. She needed somebody to hold her or she would break again. To hold the pieces of her together, to love her. She loved Marius. Yes, she did. But she needed somebody to love her back.

Even if it was just for one night.

They both stared at each other. Eponine took the first step, then Enjolras took one. They did this until they were just centimeters away from each other's faces. Their lips lingered inches away from each other, both sets parted slightly, heavy, nervous breaths escaping from them both.

Enjolras tried to move forward, but Eponine just stood there, shocked of what she was about to do. She wanted to do it, she wanted it in that moment more than anything. But she knew she would regret it. Something stupid inside of her would convince her that she was betraying Marius, even though he could care less of what she did.

He suddenly realized that she wasn't responding to him, just standing there in some sort of sad haze. It was stupid. Why would Eponine fall for him, let alone kiss him? Enjolras caught himself, flustered and blushing, before turning back around to check on the tea.

But Eponine caught his shoulder, turning him back around and pressing her lips to his.

It didn't take any time for Enjolras to respond to Eponine's kiss. He kissed back just as urgently, unsure of what to do. He never kissed anyone, and had only been kissed himself on the corner of the mouth. He followed what she did, his lips parting seconds after hers. His hand stroked the side of her face, which grew more flushed and hot by the second.

Eponine would never admit it, but she liked it. She liked every part of kissing Enjolras. The intimacy of the act, the way their lips fit so well together, the way he held her face. She breathed heavily under the forcefulness of his lips, trying to hold back content sighs.

Her hands rested on his chest. Eponine's fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, tugging at it impatiently. His hands grabbed her waist almost forcefully, but a small part of him remembered to be gentle.

She breathed softly, pulling back from his lips. His forehead rested on hers as he tried to catch his breath. They looked into each other's eyes, both of which were filled with tenderness. Eponine's hands shook as she tugged at the knot that held her towel up.

"Eponine..." Enjolras said slowly, trying to control himself. He peered up at her for some sign of something.

She bit her lip and nodded, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"You're sure?"

"More than anything."

Enjolras kissed her once more, grabbing her waist and carrying her to the spare room, never detaching his lips from hers.

**Please review!**


	3. As Much As It Killed Her Inside

**A/N: I don't own Les Miserables.**

Eponine lie awake afterwards, staring up at the ceiling. Enjolras slept soundly at her side, an arm wrapped around her waist, her fingers laced in his blonde curls.

She didn't understand. She had liked what had just happened a lot. It was everything she had imagined and more. Enjolras had been soft and loving and true. That's what it was. It all seemed so genuine, even though it was a last minute decision that neither of them expected. It was obvious that they both enjoyed it. But there was a small part of her that knew it could never happen again. Her heart belonged to Marius, whether she liked it or not. And if she was persistent, then maybe, just maybe...

Enjolras made a small whimpering noise in his sleep. She smiled, brushing her fingers through his tangled hair that was damp with sweat. He wrapped his arm around her waist tighter.

He had in fact saved Eponine from falling apart that night. He had healed the wounds that Marius had left. All Marius did was hurt her, when everything Enjolras had done for her, which wasn't much until that night, was loving and gentle and kind.

But she was getting sidetracked. Eponine had barely even known Enjolras before that. Chances were that he would forget about all of this and brush it off in the morning. She knew more about Marius than Enjolras. Eponine was disgusted with herself.

She lie awake for hours before deciding that she wouldn't have anything to do with Enjolras. As much as she liked him, he would never like her back. Even though she was exhausted of waiting, she needed to keep her eye on the prize. Tomorrow, she would forget about this bump in the road and keep loving Marius.

As much as it killed her inside.

It's what she really wanted.

Wasn't it?

In the dream, Eponine fell asleep. In reality, she woke up.

The dream was so intense and spot on that it scared her. She woke up in a pool of sweat, just as she had just that morning, and sat up quickly, staring at the old clock hanging on her wall.

It read that it was almost four in the afternoon. Eponine had slept for almost ten hours. Her body felt dirty and used. She got up from the mattress and walked into the bathroom right across the hall, ran the bath water, stripped the sweat soaked dress from her body, and stepped into the bath tub.

Eponine's body was covered with various different marks from various different people for various different reasons. Both of her knees were scraped, along with the palms of her hands, from when she mouthed off to her drunk father the week prior. They were healing, which only made them itch. A number of other scars and cuts, old and new, covered her body from the angry touch of her father.

Some new marks trailed down her neck and stomach. Splotchy, dark red marks given to her by Enjolras. But not out of anger, out of love. Eponine trailed her fingers over these small marks, but they didn't sting. They were beautiful in a way. A dark red that resembled affection, and for the first time in her life, not anger or abuse.

Eponine scrubbed every single part of herself. Under her fingernails, deep into the roots of her hair. She was going to try to look beautiful tonight for Marius. Maybe he would see her and notice her.

Maybe Enjolras would see her and notice her.

No. She was done with Enjolras. It was a one night thing. They were both lonely, they were both cold. There were so many reasons. It was just once, right?

Right?

She put on a fresh dress, letting her dark brown hair fall over her shoulders. She didn't look much different, just cleaner. Her eyes shone brighter. She smiled contently at herself

"Eponine!" Her father's voice boomed up the stairs towards her bathroom.

Eponine jumped, running back to her room. She grabbed her coat from her chair and propped the window open, trying to climb out of the window as fast as possible. When she got onto the street, she wondered where to go, but decided to go to the Cafe. Marius might be there... And Enjolras would be there. But no, she was going for Marius.

She arrived at the Cafe just minutes later, knocking on the door lightly. Grantaire answered, a bottle of wine clenched in his hand.

"'Ponine!" He smiled drunkenly.

"Monsieur Grantaire," Eponine tipped her head at him.

"C'mon in. Enjolras is just finishing up a big long speech," He took a swig, rolling his eyes and swallowing bitterly. "You know how he is."

"Is Monsieur Marius in this evening?"

"He is. He just got back from being out with that Cosette bird. He's very excited about something. He told us he needed to tell us some news as soon as Enjolras was finished ranting."

Eponine blocked out what he was saying after she heard Cosette's name and headed up the stairs. Enjolras stood at the head of the table, his hands planted on the wood, he glanced up towards her dreamily, the anger and frustration from his rant draining from his features and stance. All of the boys turned to stare at her. They would be lying if they said they had never looked at her like that at least once in their lives, even if it be for a few seconds.

Except for Marius.

Marius sat closest to Enjolras, a light blush covering his freckled cheeks. Eponine noticed that his sleeves were rolled up, something he always did when he was nervous or excited. As soon as she saw this, her stomach dropped. She knew.

"All right, loverboy," Enjolras broke the silence, his gaze still resting on Eponine. "It's your turn. Say what you have to say."

Eponine stood in the back of the Cafe behind the table, Grantaire stood behind her, smirking and taking pulls from his bottle. Marius glanced at her and smiled, wringing his hands.

"As you all know, my Cosette and I have been together for a while now."

Eponine snagged the bottle of wine from Grantaire's hands and took a bitter swig, which caused him to chuckle.

"And I think tomorrow is the right time to propose to her." Marius beamed.

Eponine's stomach dropped, and she had to catch her jaw from dropping too. She stopped a small choking sound from coming from the back of her throat. Even though she had known it was coming, she didn't want him to say it out loud. To say it out loud would make it final.

She just stood there, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Eventually, she just looked down, biting the inside of her cheek and cracking her knuckles. Grantaire kept trying to talk to her about how hung up Marius was on "that Cosette girl", but all Eponine could do was nod. Grantaire was too drunk to notice how distraught she really was.

It was all so final. Any of the probability of romance between her and Marius was completely gone. And there was nothing Eponine could do about it. She had no say in any of it. She wiped at her face with the sleeve of her dress.

Many of the revolutionaries walked over to slap Marius on the back, congratulating him. Only Grantaire stayed back with Eponine, gathering up liquid courage.

"You might want to try out the milk before you buy the cow," He slurred, raising his bottle to Marius. Marius only blushed.

"Congratulations, Marius," Eponine spoke up over the crowd, trying to control her shaking voice, causing everyone to go silent.

"Thank you, 'Ponine," Marius responded sincerely. "Thank you for helping me find her. Without you, none of this would have happened. You put the light into my life."

Yes, Eponine was the one who had brought Marius to Cosette. And what a fool she thought of herself for doing so. She could have easily said no when he asked her to find "that beautiful girl". But she couldn't have. She would never be able to say no to Marius Pontmercy.

She just looked down, smiling. "And when should I be expecting my invitation?" Eponine joked.

Only Enjolras stood silently. He hadn't taken his eyes off of Eponine since she had walked in the Cafe. She had caught his attention last night and hadn't seemed to let go of it. Now she caught his glance and smiled sadly at him, raising her eyebrows.

Eponine's smile turned to a genuine one as soon as she realized what she was about to do. She nodded at him shortly and slipped silently into the spare room.

"Everybody out," Enjolras said, still staring at the space Eponine had occupied a few seconds before, a small grin tugging at his lips. "I have some very important... paperwork... to finish."

The boys didn't seem to protest. They all agreed to meet at a pub later that night, except for Enjolras, who pleaded that he was "swamped with letters from neighboring cities".

As soon as they all left, Enjolras began to fix tea, whistling to himself excitedly.

But Eponine sat alone in the spare room, numb but somehow aching.


	4. To Be With You

**A/N: Next chapter is when the plot will begin to unfold, so don't give up on me yet! ****Thank you all for the continued support. Please review! **I don't own Les Miserables.

Eponine was happy to be in the spare room about to meet Enjolras, but not under this circumstance. She was there because Marius, the man she thought she loved, had plans to propose to the woman he loved, who was not Eponine, but rather Cosette. And now she needed Enjolras to make her feel better, the way he had the night before.

But now she wasn't so sure how she felt about Marius, and that scared her. She didn't like change. Especially when the change involved a man who could be just as hurtful towards her. A man who could be just as uninterested in her as Marius.

It sounded horrible when she thought about it. It sounded like she was just using Enjolras to make her feel better. That wasn't true. She had feelings for Enjolras, she just wasn't sure what they were or how strong they were. And she knew that he had the same kind of feelings for her from the way he had stared at her just seconds prior, that wanting gleam in his glance.

Enjolras stood in the kitchen, pouring the steaming water out of the kettle, whistling softly. Although he hadn't really looked at her until last night, his feelings were developing quickly. The previous night had been the most amazing night of his life for a number of reasons. It was the first time he had been with a girl, the first time he had felt the spark of liking someone. The best part about it was being able to experience it all with Eponine.

Eponine. The girl he had never noticed, but was suddenly so interested in.

He pushed open the door to the spare room, balancing two cups of tea in one hand. Eponine turned around slowly to look at him, rose up on her blistered bare feet, grabbed a cup from his hand, and planted a kiss on his cheek. Enjolras tried to pretend he wasn't blushing as she blew the steam off of her cup.

"So, what exactly is going on here?" Enjolras blurted out, the blush growing deeper in his cheeks. He was so unsure about all of this and how to handle it. "I mean, with me and you."

Eponine looked up at him, laughing shortly. It seemed as if every male figure in her life had trouble _feeling_. But she knew exactly what he meant. She was confused too, but she didn't exactly want to label anything, not unless he felt the need to.

"I'm not sure. Do we need to know at the moment?" Eponine laughed softly, her eyes closed. She rubbed her temples, taking a sip from her tea. It burned her tongue.

"I just... I like what happened last night."

"Do you like what happened or do you like me?" She rolled her eyes. She didn't mean for it to come out so short and rude. She just wasn't exactly in the right mood to be soft. Enjolras, on the other hand, was feeling the exact opposite.

"I like you." Enjolras replied, a sincere note in his voice. This was unusual for him, but his feelings were too strong to hold back. "I mean... Of course I like what happened last night a lot, too, but I like you more."

Eponine looked down, a light blush covering her cheeks. "You're just saying that because I might sleep with you again."

"I could care less if you did or not. I just want to be with you." He replied, wrapping his hands tightly around his cup of tea nervously. He cleared his throat roughly. He hadn't ever spoken about his feelings this clearly before. It was something new and very unusual for him. Especially because his feelings were now about a girl and not a country.

"You had never even looked at me before, in that light..."

"I didn't, and I'll admit that. I've only ever seen you as a decent girl with good views. But just last night I looked at you differently, and now I can't stop."

"I'm in love with Marius." Eponine said back quickly and shortly, just as he finished his sentence. She said it almost matter-of-factly. Her shoulders shrugged as she sipped at her tea again.

"That's where you're wrong, Eponine." He raised his eyebrows after a prolonged, but not awkward, silence, gesturing towards her with his mug. "Love may not be my forte, in fact it's the last thing I know anything about, but I can tell that you've only barely convinced yourself. You're in love with the idea of him. You could stop just as easily as you started."

It was true. Even the sound of Enjolras's voice saying her name made her heart skip a beat. She had just began to truly get to know him. Why was she falling so hard already?

"I'm scared, Enjolras."

He raised his eyebrows. "And why is that?"

"I can't let there be another Marius." Her voice cracked in the middle of her sentence. Tears stung at her eyes, and she looked down from him, her bottom lip shaking.

"Eponine..." Concern and sadness flooded his voice. "Eponine, look at me." He cooed at her, moving closer to her, trying to peek at her from under her curtain of dark hair.

"I don't need your pity." Eponine spat at him a little too harshly, her hair sticking to the tears that were running down her face, backing away from him.

But Enjolras continued to reach out for her, his hand stroking the side of her tear-stained cheek. She melted at his touch, the tension in her body draining. Eponine sighed, letting the side of her face rest on his large, strong hand. His fingers ran through her hair. She was so weak when it came to him. He made her walls break down.

Enjolras wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. She didn't protest. The tears on her cheeks dried quickly. The steady thumping of his heart calmed her. But every time she moved a little, the pace of his heartbeat picked up along with his breathing. Eponine began to do it on purpose, just to listen, smiling softly to herself.

"Eponine..." He breathed softly. She couldn't help but laugh, raising her head and nuzzling into his neck. His breathing only picked up more, he placed his hand on the back of her head.

"Come on..." Eponine pulled away from him, kissing the tip of his nose.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her hands meeting at the back of his neck. Enjolras's hands rested on her hips. She guided him with her, their lips meeting.

This time, Eponine didn't feel guilty afterwards. She rested her head on Enjolras's chest, listening to his slow heartbeat once again. He ran his hand up and down her back, giving her goosebumps. There was nothing to be said. They just lie there, completely comfortable in the silence.

This was what she was going to do, and she was okay with it. She was going to be with someone who liked her back, someone who made her happy, not horribly depressed.

But sometimes horrible depression was part of love.

But it was different with Enjolras. She could actually relate to him, even before the times they had gotten personal in the past few days. His political views, his understanding of the poverty that was sweeping France, the pain the poor had to go through on a day to day basis. Enjolras had grown up rich, but now he was giving up everything for the cause. Marius could only try to understand that. He had grown up spoiled and rich. That wasn't his fault, it was just the way things turned out.

"I don't know what this is, but I'm okay with it." Eponine said softly against his skin.

"I am too." Enjolras replied.

They both fell into a deep, finally happy sleep.


	5. What Has Passed Is Gone

**A/N: I don't own Les Miserables.**

Eponine woke up the next morning, this time happy with herself. She looked at the clock on a nearby wall and read that it was already one o'clock in the afternoon. A light mist of sweat covered her body and her hair stuck up in certain places, but she still felt nice. She breathed in and out deeply, and turned over to get out of bed.

Enjolras reached out for her, grabbing her arm gently and pulling her back down. She laughed in return, but eventually stood up. Only having her slip on, she looking around for something to wear over it. She threw Enjolras's discarded shirt on over her head and walked into the cafe.

Jean and Bahorel sat at the table. Jean looked serious and thoughtful, and Bahorel was just laughing at him, giggling and leaning back in his chair.

"I think love is a lovely thing," Jean argued.

"I think you're getting as bad as Marius," Bahorel shot back at him between chortles, "But at least Marius has a bird to be all touchy feely _about_."

"Good morning, boys," Eponine said timidly as she stepped into the room, immediately wrapping Enjolras's shirt tighter around herself.

Bahorel nearly fell off of his chair when he saw her come out of the back room that Enjolras was also staying in.

"_Oh, Jesus_!" He crouched over, tears in his eyes from laughing so hard, "You didn't. _You didn't!_ You cracked the man of marble?"

"Would either of you like breakfast?" She blushed, trying to change the subject. "Or lunch, now, I suppose."

Bahorel caught his breath, "Y-Yes. Thanks, 'Ponine."

"Jean?"

"I'm alright, Eponine. Thank you very much."

Eponine nodded at him and looked at the both of them for a while, Bahorel holding in laughter, Jean looking embarrassed like he usually did. She turned to the kitchen and got four eggs out of the icebox. While she fried them, she overheard the rest of the conversation.

"_I _think it's very nice, I like Eponine. She's good for a man like Enjolras. He doesn't feel enough."

"No. It's just that he feels too much about the wrong things."

Eponine brought out Bahorel's eggs and took hers to the bathroom with her, trying to avoid small digs from him and questions about love from Jean. She didn't even know if she was in love or not, and she didn't want to listen to the other one making anatomy jokes.

As she ran the bath water, she began thinking. Marius was supposed to propose to Cosette today. She wondered if he would come straight to the cafe with the news. He probably would. He would burst in screaming about how she said yes. Of course she said yes, why would she even think about saying no? Eponine wouldn't even be able to say no, as much as she was confused about him.

She sat in the bath tub, shoveling eggs into her mouth and breathing deeply. The water was lukewarm, but it felt soothing over her bruised and battered skin. Some of her injuries were healing, and she realized that she would have to go back to her house soon. Even if Enjolras insisted on her staying at the cafe, which she half-knew he would, she would at least have to go back and pack a bag of clothes.

She would avoid going back for as long as she could. Eponine shuddered at the thought before dunking her head underwater.

She hadn't heard the small knock made on the bathroom door.

When she resurfaced, Cosette stood in the doorway, a gleeful look plastered on her porcelain face.

"_Oh!_" Eponine said, surprised. Cosette still stood close to her, despite Eponine being completely naked. Eponine grabbed a nearby washcloth and covered herself up as best as she could.

Eponine had only said anything to Cosette in passing, not counting the times when they were children together. But even then, they never really talked. Eponine barely knew anything about Cosette when they were children, she just understood that she wasn't supposed to talk to Cosette or let her play.

Eponine always felt bad for Cosette when they were younger, but she was afraid of what Madam Thenardier might do to her if she even acknowledged her with anything but an air of anger and selfishness. It was all she was taught when she was younger, and she couldn't help it. But now, she regretted acting towards Cosette like that for a number of reasons.

Neither of them had acknowledged the fact that they grew up together, but both of them knew. They were both okay with it. Cosette forgave Eponine when she silently apologized with a pained glance while dropping off Marius or a sad smile when Cosette nodded politely at her.

Eponine was in no way, shape, or form angry with Cosette for being with Marius. It was his decision to be with her, and it wasn't as if Cosette wasn't there, he would go straight for Eponine. Eponine and Marius were friends before he even knew Cosette existed. There was obviously something about Eponine that he didn't like in that sort of way. And she was beginning to be okay with that.

Cosette wasn't phased by seeing Eponine like this, she had seen worse walking the streets with her father, placing sous into the dirty palms of beggars. She just stood there, an ecstatic look lingering over her flawless skin. She un-tied her bonnet and set it down on the counter, her golden curls spilling over her shoulders.

"Uh..." Eponine stuttered, the water in the bathtub sloshing around restlessly. "Yes?"

"Oh, Eponine!" Her airy voice rang through the air. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"That Marius was going to_ propose_!" Cosette beamed, sitting down beside Eponine on the floor. "He did it today at lunch. He got down on one knee and everything! Oh, why didn't you tell me?"

It was to odd for Eponine to be having this conversation with Cosette. But then again, it was odd that she was conversing with Cosette at all.

"I only learned last night..." Eponine responded. "And why would I tell you? Wouldn't that ruin the surprise of it all?"

"You're right..." Cosette agreed, sighing. "I would be angry with you..."

"With a heart like yours, you can be angry with no one." She said quietly, offering a smile.

They were silent for a while as Cosette situated herself, looking at herself in the mirror and trying to calm herself down. Finally, she took a deep breath and sat down by the bath tub. "Eponine..." She rested her chin on the edge of the tub. "How long are you going to let petty things from our childhood bother you?"

"More like _my _childhood," Eponine rolled her eyes. "You never got a childhood. You were too busy cleaning up after me."

"I was busy cleaning up after Madam. And that's not your fault."

"That gave me no reason to be so nasty towards you..."

"You were just a child," Cosette responded, her eyebrows pulled together. She reached out towards Eponine, and brushed a wet strand of hair behind her ear. "You didn't know any better. Children are what they see. And all you had to see was Madam."

"I'm sorry..." Eponine looked down, ashamed.

"There's no need to be. Don't apologize for something that happened years ago. You were an entirely different person. What has passed is gone." She nodded and offered a reassuring smile. "Besides, I came here to ask you something. I need your help."

"Of course."

Cosette lifted her head from the rim of the tub and clasped her hands together. "Will you be my maid of honor?"

Eponine just sat in the bath tub, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Me? You want me to be your maid of honor?"

But then Eponine realized, Cosette didn't have anybody. She didn't have any female figures in her life to take the place of maid of honor. Eponine was the only other female Cosette had ever personally known. Eponine frowned a little at the thought. Cosette had no other choice, whether she wanted one or not.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because I ruined your childhood."

"Eponine..." Cosette rolled her eyes grabbed one of Eponine's pruned hands. Perfectly shaped, rosy nails against hard, cracked, bitten down ones. "Do you know what you can do for me?"

"Anything and everything."

She shook her head. "Never apologize again for any of it. Ever. And also just another small thing..."

"What is that?"

"Just, please, be my maid of honor."

"_Cosette_..."

"For me."

Eponine looked at her. She didn't know anything about flowers or wedding themes or where to put the candelabras or what to serve at the wedding banquet. She stared up at Cosette, who wore a light blue dress, fit tightly to her flattering figure. She then looked down at herself, naked in a bathtub, a ring of dirt forming at the bottom of the porcelain. Her every day dress lay limply on the counter, stained with dirt and blood.

"_Fine_," Eponine groaned. "But I won't be much help."

"That's why I'm taking you out tomorrow. I'll teach you some tricks. We'll get out dresses fitted. I'll be here at two o'clock sharp." Cosette suppressed an overly excited smile. "Enjoy your bath." She backed out of the bathroom and closed the door behind her.

Eponine submerged herself back under the water, confused by the whole ordeal that had just occurred, air bubbles floating to the surface.

**I really need feedback... Please, please, please review!**


	6. A Dove In Flight

**A/N: The main plot line begins next chapter. Thank you for all the follows and favorites. I would, though, like to see more reviews. I love to get feedback. And if nobody seems to be reading, it would be pointless to continue on. So, please, even if it's just a short comment saying that you enjoy it, just leave a review. I don't own Les Miserables.**

"Eponine..."

Eponine woke up the next morning to muffled words from Enjolras in her ear.

"'Ponine... Wake up..."

"_Hmph_..." She responded, groaning into the pillow.

"Eponine... It's one o'clock," Enjolras chuckled. "This is ridiculous."

She peaked her head up from the pillow, her mousy brown hair in a mess on top of her head. "You said that it's one o'clock?"

Enjolras stood to her side, his hand on her lower back. He was fully dressed, his hair was pushed back out of his face. A sign that he had been hard at work. It was one of his little habits that Eponine picked up on. Whenever he was frustrated, he would push his hair back. He nodded in confirmation.

She sprang up from the bed and grabbed her dress off of the chair, stepping into it. All the while muttering under her breath about brunch and tea and dress fittings.

He put his hands up. "What's the big rush?"

"I'm having an afternoon out with Cosette..." She explained while going over to the small, cracked mirror on the wall, trying to brush her hair out as best as she could with her fingers. "I'm her maid of honor." It sounded odd even to her, the way the words came out of her mouth.

"They pulled you into it too?" Enjolras half joked. "I'm the best man..."

"Will you zip me up?" Eponine asked, struggling with the zipper that was always so easy, too easy, to zip up.

He walked over to her, his large hands lingering over her small body. She shivered lightly, blinking. It was almost as though he was teasing her, taking his time to find the zipper attached at her side. He struggled with pulling it up, his other hand resting on her hip as he tugged.

"I think... I think it's getting a bit small on you."

She sighed loudly. "I've been eating a bit too much lately."

"That's good. You need it."

"Not when I can't afford to be a healthy weight," Eponine deadpanned. "It's fine. I'll pick up some new clothes when I'm out with Cosette. I have about forty francs saved up."

"I would give you some money if I could, _mon ami_." He kissed her on the top of the head, wrapping his big, strong arms around her waist.

"I understand. I don't know... Maybe I'll just save it. I can pick up something from the house. Maybe my mother has some old dresses I could use for the time being."

Eponine used the remainder of her hour trying to make herself look presentable. She scrubbed at any visible stains on her dress and combed through her hair multiple times. She even tried to attempt the braid she had seen Cosette in last night, but failed.

There was a small knock at the door. She ran down the stairs to answer it.

Cosette stood in the doorway, clad in a soft pink dress and a floral patterned bonnet. Eponine stood aside so that she could enter, and was surprised to see the other girl nearly trample up the stairs as soon as she heard Marius's voice joking with the other students.

"_Oof_!" Marius groaned as Cosette threw her arms around him. But he was smiling, his broad hands clutching at her back. She kissed him all over his cheeks, and finished with one small kiss on the tip of his nose.

Jean stared dreamily at the both of them and whispered something to Bahorel, who rolled his eyes. Joly cringed, possibly imagining how many germs could transfer from lips to skin and vise versa. Grantaire took a pull from his flask. Enjolras just stood at the head of the table, a small, pleasant smile on his face.

Cosette got up from his lap, smoothing out her dress. A light blush covered her cheeks.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" She reached into her dress pocket. "How you distract me, Marius." She pulled out wedding invitations and dealt them out like a deck of cards on the table. Everyone reached in for one.

"Two weeks from today." Marius said, smiling.

"Surely not long enough to set up a proper wedding," Cosette rolled her eyes. "But we'll manage. And I'll have help from Eponine here." She grabbed her hand, intertwining her own soft hand with Eponine's rough, calloused one. "Speaking of setting up, we better get going. I made our appointment for two thirty."

Eponine followed her gratefully. Cosette hummed under her breath, a joyful tune, a song that could easily be used for a wedding. Her lips masked her sweet soprano voice. Eponine couldn't help but think how much she sounded like a bird as they got into the coach.

She had never been in a coach before, or at least a coach like that one. The seats themselves were more comfortable than the bed, or plank, rather, that she normally slept on. They were covered with rich, dark red velvet. She gripped at the seats, her dirty fingers digging into the plush.

"I'm sorry..." Eponine pulled her hands away, holding one in the other in her lap.

"I take it you've never been in a coach before?" Cosette smiled as if she were watching a small child trying their first piece of candy.

"Never..." She said quietly.

They arrived at their destination a few minutes later. The tailor's shop was nestled in a nice, little part of town. As soon as they entered the small but pleasant building, many people approached them. All offering hugs and kisses on the cheek.

"I've had this planned out for a while..." Cosette admitted, blushing softly. "I've already had both of our dresses picked out."

A white, overly fluffy thing clad in a plastic bag was pushed into Eponine's arms, nearly toppling her over.

"Your dress, of course." Cosette chirped.

"It's big enough to serve for an actual bride's dress..."

"Only the best for my maid of honor."

They both changed one room away from each other. Noises of rustling fabric filled the air as they pulled the dresses over their bodies, pushed their heads through the neckline, and laced up the back.

"Ready?" Cosette said excitedly.

"Ready."

They stepped out at the same time, looking straight at each other.

Cosette's dress was made of mostly intricate lace. The pure white sleeves puffed up off of her shoulders, her neckline stopped just before her collarbone, the sleeves were knit into an intricate pattern, the skirt of the dress bubbled out and was covered with a thin layer of lace detail.

She looked positively beautiful. Like a dove in flight.

Eponine's dress was a very light pink color, barely noticeable, and set up the same, but was toned down just a bit. She had plain sleeves that went down to her wrists, her neckline dipped just beneath her prominent collarbones, the skirt was flat and long. It fit her well, her small body exaggerated in all the right places. Her hands ran over the smooth cloth.

Cosette's hands clasped over her mouth and she dropped her head.

"What's the matter?"

She pushed her hair behind her ears, shaking lightly, staring down at Eponine.

"Thank you, Eponine, thank you..."

"Oh... Cosette..." She was unsure of what to say.

"Thank you for doing this for me..." Her voice broke. "I know this is the last thing you want to do, but I'm glad you're here to do it. I don't know who else would have..."

Suddenly, Eponine's heart broke for her. Cosette didn't have any friends... She didn't even have a mother. The only other female figure in her life was Eponine. She reached out and grabbed Cosette in an embrace, who responded by wrapping her arms around her tightly.

"You can always count on me..." Eponine whispered, completely truthful while saying it.


	7. Little Black Book

**A/N: Please review. I don't own Les Miserables.**

Two weeks passed, and it was the day of the wedding.

Eponine and Enjolras were still something. Neither of them knew what they were yet, but they knew they were something. They stayed happily in that little something, talking and kissing much and paying attention to anything happening around them very little.

It was obvious they were both falling in love.

It all seemed cliche when both of them thought about it. A tragic night that brought the two of them together just once, and now they were infatuated with each other. The both of them would have laughed if somebody told them this would happen a few months ago.

But it was different.

Eponine had been away a lot, helping Cosette plan for the wedding, which gave Enjolras time to work on the revolution. It seemed as if things on the outside of their little bubble were worsening every day. Lamarque had shown no signs of recovering and started getting even worse. He shared none of this with Eponine. Enjolras was ridden with migraines and frustration until Eponine came back at night and kissed them away.

But this morning, they both woke up automatically in good spirits. Enjolras moved the small cracked mirror from the bedroom into the bathroom so that they could get ready side by side.

Eponine brushed through her hair as Enjolras sat silently in the bath tub, occasionally dipping himself underwater and running his fingers through his wavy blond hair.

"You're going to have to get out of that bath water soon..." Eponine said softly. "You'll prune up."

He pulled out the cork at the bottom of the tub as soon as she finished her sentence, letting out a long sigh. "Eponine?"

"Yes, _mon ami_?"

"Have you ever thought about getting married?"

She turned around to face him. "Us?"

"Us."

Eponine raised her eyebrows. She hadn't really thought about it, she had been so wrapped up in Cosette's wedding. But now that she did she liked the idea. She thought Enjolras would make a fine husband. But not any time soon.

"I guess I haven't ever thought about. But yes, I think it would be nice. Not any time soon of course." She smiled to herself softly, running her fingers through her long, dark hair that hung over her shoulder.

"I'd like it too." Enjolras dunked his head under the remaining water.

Eponine and Enjolras had enough money to get to the church early in a coach. Now, coaches were familiar to Eponine. She had gone in many all over the town with Cosette since they had their dresses fitted.

They arrived in the church and parted ways, Enjolras planting a kiss on the top of Eponine's head. Both of them held their outfits in their arms. Eponine found a door with a piece of parchment pinned to it. The parchment read: _Cosette Fauchelevent - Bride _in cursive, metallic gold ink. Certainly written by Cosette and Cosette only. Eponine knocked softly.

"Come in!" The girl on the other side of the door sang.

Eponine opened the door as Cosette stood in front of the mirror, twirling around. But she turned to face Eponine the minute she entered through the door, beaming brightly.

"What do you think?" Cosette breathed, screwing her lips shut.

"You look absolutely stunning."

"_Merci_. Let me help you with your dress."

It was all going fine until they got to the laces on the back. Both of them couldn't help but notice what a snug, almost uncomfortable, fit the dress made when it had fit perfectly, even fell loose in some places, a few weeks ago. Eponine tried to suck her stomach in, and it helped a bit, but she was still stuck in the fabric, uncomfortable.

"That's odd," Cosette mused, moving up to Eponine's hair and braiding it up on her head with careful fingers. "You don't look any bigger. You look like you've filled out some loose places, but you certainly don't look... Eponine?"

Eponine's face was beginning to turn a pale shade of green. Cosette's words bounced around in her head, echoing and getting louder by the second. A light sweat covered her brow. She hurried over to the back of the room and heaved into a bucket, meeting last night's dinner once again.

"Oh! Eponine! Are you alright?"

Eponine wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, not a stranger to vomiting. She frequently ate old meat the butcher would sell to her for a discount. She spit once more into the bucket and got up slowly.

She could feel Cosette's warm hands holding her arms. "I laced it too tight, didn't I?"

"No..." Eponine's voice cracked. "It's not that. The dress isn't painfully tight... It's just... I haven't eaten yet today. My stomach is just upset."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," She looked over at the clock. "It's time."

Cosette's smile returned to her face as she pulled her veil down over her face.

The wedding was beautiful, full of candelabras and golden accents on extravagant outfits. Eponine couldn't help but notice people holding back tears, including Cosette's father, Jean Valjean, and one of the young revolutionaries, Jean Prouvaire.

Eponine and Enjolras stood directly behind Marius and Cosette, and at times were even facing each other. Enjolras kept making faces, which caused Eponine to giggle, holding her bouquet of flowers up to her face.

Afterwards, there was a large banquet. Marius and Cosette sat together alone at the head table, whispering things into each other ears. Every once in a while, Grantaire would clink his wine glass with his knife, and they would be forced to kiss. Both of them flustered and embarrassed, pressing their flushed faces together.

Eponine had a small plate of chicken and rolls. It tasted differently than the old meat and the burnt loafs of bread she frequently ate. She made sure not to eat a lot of it so that her stomach wouldn't get upset again.

Yet, it still did.

Eponine and Enjolras were in a debate on how long Lamarque would last when she began to feel the familiar sensation crawl up her throat. She swallowed, hard, but it only came at her harder. Nausea came in waves at her as she got up unsteadily from the table and ran to the bathroom.

She pushed the door open and immediately threw up her dinner into the toilet. It was then that she started to cry, frustrated and confused about why she was getting so sick. She could feel Enjolras behind her, holding her hair and whispering sweet words to her. She heard something about him going to get Joly, but he was barely audible over her sobs.

A few moments later, after Eponine's sobs were reduced to occasional sniffles, she heard a light knock at the door.

"Come in..." She said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Joly entered, wide eyed, a small black book in his hands. "Not feeling well, 'Ponine?"

She shook her head, moving over to the sink to rinse her mouth out.

He offered her an arm when she finished, and she took it, leaning on him for support as they walked out of the bathroom and down the corridor. "They have a vacant room in the back. It has a table. It will have to do for now."

When they arrived, she sat, her feet swinging as she wiped at her face. Joly scanned through his little black book.

"How long have you been sick for?" He asked, his finger marking a page.

"Just today. I got sick this morning too."

"And have you ever had anything else medically odd or out of the ordinary happen to you over the last few days?"

"I've been putting on some weight lately. Not too much, but enough to be noticed."

Joly began to blush. "And... Uh... Excuse me for asking this, mademoiselle, but when was the last time you had your menstrual cycle?"

"Oh, I don't know. I don't really keep track of those. It hasn't... It hasn't been for a while though..." Eponine could feel her stomach drop. "_Oh_..." She whispered, looking up helplessly at him when she realized what he meant.

Joly averted his eyes. "Could you lay back please?"

Eponine did, taking in a deep breath. He pressed his hands against her stomach, awkwardly feeling around. He pulled away after a few seconds, satisfied. He ran his hands through his hair, mumbling to himself. Eponine just sat there, looking at him with a desperate look on her paling face. He began stammering out the words Eponine was dreading to hear when Cosette burst through the door.

"Eponine!" She sighed, picking up her flowing skirt and rushing over to the table. "Oh, Eponine. I came as fast as I could. You missed the cake cutting. What's wrong? You got sick again?"

Eponine could only nod, a dry sound of confirmation coming from the back of her throat.

"What's wrong?" Cosette turned to Joly. "What's wrong with her?"

"She's pregnant." He said softly.

Eponine fainted.


	8. Promise

**A/N: Thank you for the continuous support. I do not own Les Miserables. Please review!**

"Eponine?" Concerned voices bounced around in her aching head. "Eponine?"

Eponine eventually woke up, still lying down on the table.

"Place the cold wash cloth on her forehead... Like that..."

"If it's too cool, Joly, she'll catch cold."

"She'll be fine. Go on."

A cold jolt initially woke her up, along with a warm, soft hand caressing her cheek. Eponine's eyes fluttered open as she propped herself up on her elbows.

Joly and Cosette sighed with relief in unison. Eponine's eyebrows knit together in confusion, wondering why she was there.

Then she remembered.

The word echoed in her mind.

_Pregnant._

Her hands barely brushed over her stomach, her finger tips shaking as they circled over her abdomen. It didn't look like anything, but she could feel that her stomach was hardening. She was definitely more bloated than usual.

She was going to be a mother. Enjolras was going to be a father.

Together.

She remembered the conversation she had with him just this morning on marriage. Even the thought of marriage scared her. The thought of being with child absolutely terrified her.

"Eponine? Are you all right?" Cosette wondered softly in her ear. "You were passed out cold. Do you... Do you remember anything?"

"Unfortunately," Eponine deadpanned.

Cosette gave an encouraging smile, rubbing Eponine's ice cold arm. "Well, I think it's wonderful."

"That makes one of us."

"How do you mean? You're with child! It's some of the best news you'll ever hear!"

"I'd be thrilled if I found out a few years from now. But Cosette, I'm only seventeen. I'm not even close to being married, nor do I want to be."

Cosette crossed her arms. "Don't be that way."

"I can't afford to be happy," Eponine continued. "I can't pay for myself. I lived on the street before Enjolras and I got together. And what if he doesn't want me now?"

Joly interrupted. "Enjolras is known to do many radical things, but he would never do anything like that. He cares too much for you."

"He does?"

"Of course he does. He's never fallen for a girl this hard before. Well, he's never fallen for a girl ever, actually." Joly laughed softly, then looked at the women, who were frowning. "I'll... Leave you two."

Eponine turned to him. "Please don't tell him, Joly. Not yet."

"Of course not." He nodded towards her and walked out of the room.

"I can't do this, Cosette." Eponine's head fell in her hands. "I can't take care of a child when I can barely even take care of myself. I don't want to bring an innocent child into a world in the middle of a revolution."

Cosette placed a hand on her shoulder, sighing. "Oh, Eponine, it will be alright."

"But what if it's not?"

"It will be. You just have to tell Enjolras."

"Oh, God!" She buried her head deeper in her hands.

"I could help you tell him, even though it might be a bit awkward..."

"No." Eponine wiped her nose, getting up off of the table. "No. I can tell him by myself."

Cosette put her hand on Eponine's shoulder, looking her deep in the eyes. "I'm proud of you, Eponine. I'm proud you're telling him. You're going to make a great mother."

Eponine cringed at the last word and grabbed her hand, Cosette smiled at her reassuringly. They walked back into the banquet, both slightly more pale than they were when they left. Even Eponine, who had left the room in a hurry, about to vomit, was looking paler than she had before. Cosette kissed her cheek and sat back down at her place at head table. Eponine went back to sit by Enjolras.

"What's the matter?" Enjolras spoke low and urgently, sitting up in his chair. Even he was looking pale.

"I need to talk to you." She responded just as quietly. She looked around the table and noticed that everyone had left, all of them scattered around other tables talking to other guests or sitting at the bar.

"About?"

"I'm... I'm getting to that." She swallowed, grabbing his hands in hers. "I..."

The look in his eyes broke her heart. He was obviously bracing himself for the worst, the skin between his eyebrows crinkling, his palms sweating in hers, the way he kept twitching around in his seat.

"I"m really craving cake," She shrugged, trying to laugh.

"I'm not simpleminded, Eponine, and I know you aren't either." There was a sharp edge to his voice, and Eponine was reminded that he was the leader of the revolution. He led arguments and riots against the government, which meant that he could surely shake this secret out of Eponine. Eponine cringed and swallowed a lump in her throat, sitting up a little bit straighter.

"You didn't let me finish..." Her voice broke and she squeezed his hand tighter. "I'm craving cake because... Because I'm pregnant."

Eponine watched the look in Enjolras's eyes slowly change with tears stinging in her own. At first he looked relieved that it wasn't anything serious, something like a terminal illness or the death of someone near. But then fear flooded his eyes when he did realize that it was serious.

But the fear turned into something different, some sort of excitement maybe. Excitement and an overwhelming sense of shock flooded his face as he half smiled dreamily.

For so long he had been the father of the revolution, now he was going to be the father of an actual child.

"P-Pregnant?" He stammered out, leaning into her urgently, his forehead nearly touching hers.

"Yes," She nodded, her face pinched in a sad-happy twist as a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Eponine... I... We're having a child together."

Eponine nodded again. He wiped the tear rolling down her cheek with the pad of his thumb, the look of shock, fear, and a twisted excited-ness never left his face. Instead, it became more intense.

Enjolras stared at her for a moment with that look on his face, biting the inside of his cheek nervously. He was obviously thinking things over. Thinking about the money, food, other resources, and most importantly, the oncoming revolution. He rubbed his temples, his eyebrows furrowed.

"It's going to be hard, Eponine..." Enjolras said softly.

"You don't have to tell me." She deadpanned.

They sat in silence for a few moments, just pondering things.

"Don't leave me..." Eponine finally whimpered out, staring into his narrowed eyes, nudging her forehead against his. "Please don't leave. Not yet."

"Eponine..." Enjolras held her face, shaking his head, his eyebrows knit together. "Eponine, no. I wouldn't. What makes you say that? What makes you ever think that I would leave?"

"I haven't exactly had the best of luck with men..."

"I'm different. I'm not Marius. I'm not Montparnasse. I'm not your father. I promise you. I'll be here. I'll always be here. For you and for the baby." He smiled, chuckling softly. "You won't be able to get rid of me."

Eponine half-smiled at him.

The fear in Enjolras's gaze had finally faded to happiness with that single half-smile. He took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers.

He pulled back from her, her head rested on his chest, his chin rested on the top of her head. She nuzzled into him, sighing heavily.

"I promise." Enjolras's words were muffled into the hair on the top of Eponine's head.


	9. Surprises

**A/N: I had so much fun writing this chapter. Please review! I don't own Les Miserables.**

"Eponine?"

Eponine stirred in the blankets, sighing tiredly.

"Eponine?"

"What?" She groaned, nudging her head into the pillow.

"Will you go out to buy some... milk?"

Eponine groaned again, getting up from the mattress that sat on the floor in the back room of the cafe. Two months had passed since the night of Cosette's wedding, and the night Eponine had figured out that she was pregnant.

Eponine had been staying at the cafe with Enjolras since that night, barely ever leaving. Her pregnancy was not going well. Every time she left, it seemed like she got sick. Her stomach was starting to show, just slightly.

"Why can't _you_ go and get some?" Eponine's arms hung heavily at her side as she stomped out to the cafe.

"I'm busy." Enjolras stood in the doorway to the small kitchen, his elbow propped up against the door frame, his lips pursed.

"Obviously." She said sarcastically.

"I'm just... I'm making something."

"Is that what smells so good? I'm really hungry." She peeked over his shoulder, but he moved so that she couldn't see. A delicious sugary smell was wafting throughout the whole cafe.

"It will be good if you get the milk. I forgot to add some. There's ten sous on the table."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes and picked up the two five sou pieces.

She hadn't been on the streets for so long, but she still remembered every turn, every stand, and what was sold there. She had been with Enjolras for almost a month before she found out that she was pregnant, and now it had been three full months of being with him him. Three full months of being off of the streets and in a safe, warm bed.

She should have known it was too good to be true.

Eponine practically ran to the booth to get the milk and get out of the rain as fast as possible. She covered her head with the jug and ran back to the cafe, only to run into somebody on the way.

"Pardon me, monsieur," Eponine said quietly.

"Eponine! Didn't see you there," A pair of man's hands held her back by the shoulders. Her eyebrows furrowed angrily, unsure of who was holding her, and she looked up to see who it was.

Bahorel stood there, an eternal smirk on his face.

"Oh, hello, Bahorel," Eponine half smiled, too tired and distressed to put any effort into a genuine grin. "Are you on your way to the cafe?"

"I am."

"Fine. I'll walk with you."

"Not..." He blocked her. "Not yet."

She raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"You don't need anything else?" He kept glancing up at the cafe window.

"Enjolras just sent me out to get milk... I don't... What are you looking at?"

He nodded at whatever had caught his attention in the window. "Never mind. Let's go."

Eponine shrugged to herself and followed after him quickly. Bahorel opened the door for her and she practically ran up the stairs.

If she would have looked up, she would have seen.

"Surprise!" Booming voices filled the small cafe.

Eponine stood at the top of the staircase, nearly dropping the jug of milk.

There stood all of the students, and Enjolras, Marius, and Cosette. All of them smiled. Eponine glanced down, the same good smell she acknowledged minutes before coming from the cake in Cosette's arms.

The cake was iced, half blue, half pink. Written in white icing was the following phrase.

_A present from heaven,_

_To cradle and kiss,_

_No other blessing,_

_Is sweeter than this._

And on the very bottom in smaller writing were the next few words.

_Congratulations, Eponine and Enjolras!_

Eponine's hands clasped over her mouth, a stupid smile splitting across her face. Cosette jumped up a little bit, giggling, sounding like a chirping bird. Enjolras half smiled, yet his eyes were tired, biting the inside of his cheek. Marius held Cosette around the waist, grinning widely.

Bahorel patted her on the back and moved to stand with the rest of the students, who were still grinning politely and patiently, eyeing the cake. Grantaire grabbed at it, Cosette slapped his hand away, her marble brow raising, scolding him quietly in a still sweet voice.

"_Oh_..." Eponine cooed. "You guys..."

"I made it myself..." Cosette shrugged, breaking the silence. She set the cake on the table, everyone gathered around it, murmuring happily to each other. "It's not much..."

"Are you kidding?" Eponine breathed. "It's... It's perfect, Cosette, thank you."

"I wasn't the only one," She gestured to Enjolras with her eyes before handing Eponine the knife to cut the cake.

"_Enjolras!_" Eponine grinned, moving over to elbow him in the ribs.

"I stirred the batter for about a moment," Enjolras sighed.

"This is extremely sweet." Eponine looked around the room, cutting the cake carefully. "Thank you all very, very much. Now... Who wants cake?"

They all sat around the table, making pleasant small talk. Enjolras was acted oddly distant and was frequently casting unsure glances around the table. Whenever somebody would speak out, he would stare them down as if to remind them of something. Then, the person would drift off, shrugging and taking a sip of whatever they were drinking, ringing their hands.

"Just one last thing..." Cosette said softly as soon as small talk at run its course. She placed a medium sized box in front of her on the table. Jean Prouvaire jumped a little bit, and slid a wrapped canvas across the table. Grantaire placed a wine bottle wrapped with newspaper in front of her. The rest of the students emptied their pockets in the table, putting in one or two fifteen sou pieces. Eponine couldn't help but blush.

She wasn't used to being pampered like this. The cake was the first kind of sweet she had tried since her twelfth birthday, her last birthday before her family went into the downward spiral of poverty. She had to admit that it made her uncomfortable.

"Open mine," Grantaire said.

Eponine tried to act surprised when she found a bottle of whisky under all of the dirty newspaper.

"For after the baby, of course."

"Thank you, R." She grinned.

"Mine next!" Jean said excitedly.

It was a painted picture of flowers.

"I thought you could hang it up in the nursery, when you have one..." He blushed.

"It's beautiful, Jean, thank you."

"My turn, my turn!" Cosette practically squealed.

Eponine opened the box quickly, excited for the whole ordeal to be over. It was all very nice, but it made her extremely uneasy.

There were multiple things inside of the box. The first thing Eponine picked out was a bill worth hundred Francs.

"Just to get you started..." Marius said.

The next two things she pulled out were dresses. One that was Eponine's size, soft and purple. Finally something big enough to fit her. She almost wanted to run into the other room, change into it, and finally be comfortable. It felt as though the dress she had been wearing for the past three months was getting tighter by the second. The other dress was an exact replica, but smaller. Small enough to fit a baby.

"I saw you starring at it when we went to get our dresses fitted." Cosette said.

"What if the baby isn't a girl?" Eponine asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure, then. But I'm hoping for one. There are far too many boys around here..."

Eponine grinned. "Thank you. Thank you all very much."

Grantaire cleared his throat after a few moments of silence. "Isn't it grand?"

Eponine raised an eyebrow in confusion. Enjolras shot Grantaire a look, pursing his lips. The rest of the students sort of bowed their heads, except for Combeferre, who tugged on Grantaire's sleeve and shook his head.

"Isn't what grand?" Eponine asked, her fingers curling tighter around the dress.

"How ignorant we're all being."

"Grantaire..." Enjolras whispered harshly.

"No... What?" She asked.

"Eponine, let's go try on that dress..." Cosette rose from her seat, smoothing her skirt out.

"I don't understand." She started to look around the room, as if someone would pipe up and answer her.

"It's nothing, Eponine." Enjolras said.

"Oh, really?" Grantaire's voice rose. "Lamarque given at most only six months to live is just nothing? The fact that he will be dead in probably less than half of a year is just nothing to any of you?"

"Grantaire." Joly said softly.

Eponine recoiled.

"The need to start planning for the oncoming revolution is just nothing? It just doesn't matter anymore?"

"Grantaire." Enjolras repeated gruffly.

"I wish it would, but the revolution will not wait for anything or anybody." Grantaire's voice broke. "We can't just postpone this until Eponine has her baby. It's coming and it's coming fast."

Cosette stood behind Eponine, who was unsure of what to say or do. Enjolras's jaw clenched. The rest of the students looked uncomfortable, not saying anything.

"I'm sorry, Eponine, I'm really sorry. We have six months, at most, until total chaos." Grantaire shrugged, took a pull from his flask, and ran down the stairs of the cafe. Before slamming the door behind him, he added, "And we're all going to have to acknowledge that sooner rather than later."


	10. Say It Back

**A/N: Please review! I do not own Les Miserables.**

Everyone had left shortly after Grantaire, unable to deal with the awkward silence in the room. No one had said anything since Grantaire left. Enjolras kept trying to look at Eponine, but all she could do was stare at the ground. Cosette just hugged her from behind and grabbed Marius' hand.

"I'll come by tomorrow." Cosette said softly.

Eponine just nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around herself.

When the door latched close and Cosette's unhappy murmurs had left the cafe, Enjolras turned to Eponine.

"Eponine..."

"Why didn't you tell me?" She automatically spat out at him, tears coming to her eyes. Her pregnancy was making her so hormonal, which caused her to be extremely emotional.

"I didn't want to put you under even more stress. With the pregnancy and everything, I thought you already had enough to deal with."

"So now... Now you unload this huge mess on me? Right now?" Eponine sat up in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I wasn't trying to unload any sort of mess on you. The first thing on my mind was and still is keeping you and the baby safe."

"Hiding me from an oncoming thing, a _revolution_, nonetheless, that will affect all of us is not something to be kept from me."

"I'm trying my best, Eponine."

"Well, I'm sorry, but it's not enough. Do you know how many supplies we have for the baby?"

Enjolras shook his head.

"That's right, nothing." Eponine shook her finger. "We have nothing, except for that one single dress that Cosette and Marius got for us."

A long silence hung in the air. After a while, Enjolras cleared his throat, sucking on both of his cheeks. "If I'm going to be set up as the bad guy here... How do you feel about Marius?"

Eponine's stomach dropped, she blinked, caught off guard. "This has nothing to do with my feelings towards Marius Pontmercy. This has to do with you hiding something from me. Don't try to turn this around."

"And what if you're hiding something from me? You convinced yourself that you were in_ love_ with him, Eponine. You convinced yourself that you were in deep love with him less than six months ago. I may not be an expert on love, but I know that it cannot be as easy as just forgetting them after two days. How do you feel about him now?"

She gritted her teeth. "I'm trying my hardest, Enjolras."

"Why should you be trying? Why should you be _trying_ to love me while your feelings are elsewhere?"

"Because _I love you_." She bit on her tongue after she had said it. It sounded so stupid coming out of her mouth like that. But she wanted to say it again. "I'm trying so hard at everything. I'm trying for you. I'm sorry if I haven't thought about my feelings for a while. But I just did, and I love you. My feelings aren't elsewhere. My feelings are right here with you."

Enjolras just stared back at her, his jaw clenched. Although some of the anger and intensity drained from his eyes, he still looked like he wouldn't budge, no matter what she said.

"Please say it back." Eponine said softly.

He just stood there.

She dropped to her knees. "Please, Enjolras. I love you. I love you."

"I really want to believe you, but I don't think I can yet." Enjolras said simply.

"What can I do to prove it to you?"

"Time." He nodded. "All we have is time."

"But what if he don't have enough of it?" Eponine asked quietly.

Enjolras just stayed silent, looking down at Eponine. A small smile came across his lips, his hand moving to the side of her face. She smiled back at him, knowing there wasn't anything else to say.

"If we're running out of it, we should spend it the best way we can..." Enjolras finally said. "Together."

They both silently agreed to go to bed, though neither of them could make eye contact with each other. Enjolras still wrapped his arm around her waist protectively like he did every night, even though it was getting harder to do with her growing stomach.

Eponine woke up a few hours later on the mattress in the cafe, her back aching. She sat up, glaring around the room, lit only by the shining moon. She turned to see Enjolras on his side, sleeping soundly. He was so used to sleeping in a bed, while it was so new and unusual to Eponine.

Cramps came in uneven pangs at her stomach and back. The mattress gave no support to her swelling body.

She shook Enjolras's shoulder, whispering his name softly.

"Wh-What's wrong?" He bolted up beside her, her voice husky with sleep. "Is it the baby? Are you going into labor? Do you need me to get Joly?"

Eponine smiled at him through the darkness. "No, silly. I'm not due for another seven months. It's... It's just my back. It's hurting pretty badly."

He moved closer to her, moving his hands up to rub her lower back. His hands resting on her hips, his thumbs meeting in the middle. "Why do you think that is?"

"It could be this mattress. There's not enough support..."

"That's not surprising. This mattress is older than I am. My parents gave it to me years ago. It used to be theirs."

Eponine sat there in the silence as he continued to rub her back. They both thought about it for a while.

"It would be ridiculous to get a new mattress when what we really need are baby supplies. And especially when I have a good mattress at my apartment just a mile from here."

"Yes, that's true."

They sat longer, both thinking the same thing, but being comfortable in the obvious silence. Eponine smiled to herself, knowing that Enjolras would have to be the one to ask her, since it was his apartment and everything. She waited, leaning forward and sighing.

"Eponine?"

"Yes?" She responded almost too quickly.

"Would you be freaked out if I asked you to move in with me at my apartment?"

She thought it was stupid that she was blushing so hard. That shouldn't be shocking or surprising to her at all, since they were already having a baby together. That was still more shocking then what he had just offered. It seemed as if they were doing it all backwards.

"It's strange because I would be."

Enjolras raised his eyebrows. "And why is that?"

"I feel like..." She shook her head. "I feel like we aren't far enough into our relationship for that yet."

"Eponine... Might I remind you, we're having a baby together."

At the word baby, an ache ran through her back and stomach. "Right... You're right. And this mattress will be the death of me."

"So it's settled?" Enjolras asked.

"It is."

He grinned, pressing his lips to hers, something he hadn't done for a while. She kissed him back, smiling, holding onto the side of his face.

"Tomorrow, then?" He asked, breathless, having trouble pulling away from her.

"Tomorrow." She agreed.

They sat in silence for a moment, looking at each other, both of them smiling genuinely for the first time in a long time.

"Eponine?"

"Yes?" She responded quietly, picking a fallen eyelash from his cheek.

"I love you too."

Seeing as though Eponine couldn't sleep for the rest of the night, they continued kissing.


	11. Okay For Now

**A/N: Get ready, the real stuff starts in a few chapters! I do not own Les Miserables.**

The next morning, a faint knock on the door woke Eponine up, followed by Cosette walking in before Eponine could even respond.

Eponine lay tangled in Enjolras's arms. She bolted up at the sound of the door being opened. Cosette stood there, lips pursed, wearing a pale blue dress and a matching bow.

"You're bad at waiting." Eponine groaned, trying to untangle herself without waking Enjolras up.

"You're bad at responding quickly enough." Cosette shot back.

"Why is it that every time you come to visit me I'm naked?" She pulled on her slip, frowning.

"I ask myself that same question. How are you doing?"

Eponine glanced over at Enjolras, remembering the awkward baby shower given the evening before and the argument that had taken place afterwards. She pushed his hair back out of his face, smiling to herself. "I'm a little bit upset, but I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Marius hid it from me for the longest time too, but I could tell that something was wrong. I had to beg him to tell me, though. I always get what I want." Cosette didn't say the last sentence in a nasty way. It was true, she was persistent and intelligent.

Eponine followed Cosette out of the room. A delicious smell from the kitchen wafted to her. Her stomach growled hungrily.

"I made breakfast." Cosette said nonchalantly.

"How long have you been here?"

"A while. I didn't want to wake you."

Eponine went to the kitchen and dished some eggs up for herself on a plate while Cosette sat at the table, bouncing her foot up and down.

"What are you up to today?"

"Enjolras and I are moving in together..." Eponine said, raising her eyebrows and sitting down next to Cosette.

"Eponine!" Her face lit up from vaguely bored to captivated, an excited blush coming over her cheeks. "That's great, isn't it? Oh, you're moving in together!"

Eponine looked at the other girl warily. "I'm already pregnant with his child. I think moving in together is the smallest thing we could do at the moment."

Cosette rolled her eyes. "I think it's wonderful. Marius and I will help you move in."

"Cosette... It's fine. There's nothing to move. Just myself." But Eponine knew she was lying.

She looked at Eponine for a moment, her lips pursed. "I'm not stupid."

"What are you talking about?" She lied again.

"I know you're going to have to go back to Madam and get your dresses and a number of other things."

Eponine nodded, looking down. She didn't want to bring Cosette back and have her face the man and woman who had robbed her of her childhood. It might have not been the same house, but they were the same people, which made it just as bad.

"I just don't want you to be upset when we go..." Eponine said quietly.

Cosette was a little shaken, but she still smiled. "No, I insist. This is something we both want to do. For our best man and our maid of honor." She grinned a little wider, as if trying to convince herself.

Hours later, Cosette returned with a just-as-enthusiastic Marius. The four of them made a plan. Marius and Enjolras would go to his apartment and start clearing his drawers and making room for Eponine, and Eponine and Cosette would go back to the Thenardier's house.

Both Enjolras and Marius stared at both of the women warily. They knew how much trouble the Thenardiers had caused them in the past, how much trauma and trouble they had brought into the lives of their companions. But the whole act was unavoidable. Eponine needed to go and get her clothes and knick-knacks to either use herself or sell for baby supplies.

"We'll be fine." Eponine assured the both of them. But it didn't make anybody involved feel any better.

As Eponine and Cosette got closer to the house, they both started to get worried in their own little ways. Eponine was afraid her parents would be mad at her and hit her, Cosette was afraid of breaking down and crying. She grabbed the other girl's hand as they reached the ladder.

Cosette wanted to distract herself, so she noticed that Eponine was wearing her new purple dress. She had also put up her hair the way Cosette had taught her to.

"So, this ladder leads straight to my room," Eponine explained, her voice shaking. "We'll grab as much stuff as we can and get out. I don't think they'll hear us... They're probably drunk."

Cosette nodded, her eyebrows knit together. She followed nervously up the ladder, holding her dress up and stepping into Eponine's bedroom tentatively.

Eponine immediately ran over to her closet, grabbing an old suitcase and shoving everything she saw inside. Her mother kept some of her old maternity dresses in there, and Eponine made sure to grab a handful of those. Along with clothes, she grabbed some of her old jewelry from her childhood. Small necklaces and bracelets she had gotten from previous birthdays and kept hidden until now.

Cosette stood silently to the side, trembling slightly.

Clumsy footsteps came up the stairs. Eponine froze, Cosette started shaking violently, her mouth going dry, her breath staggered.

"D'you hear that?" A woman's voice, Madam Thenardier's.

"What?" Monsieur Thenardier responded.

Panicked tears stung at Cosette's eyes, Eponine glanced at her, shaking her head, putting a finger to her own lips.

Footsteps advanced towards Eponine's bedroom. Cosette couldn't help but cry out, immediately clasping her hand over her mouth. Eponine rushed over to her, grabbed her hand, and led her out of the window the minute the door swished open. She struggled with the suitcase, but eventually got a hold of it.

As soon as they were on the street, Cosette rushed into Eponine's arms, immediately sobbing. Eponine hugged her back, feeling the other girl's tears soak into her brand new dress. But she was okay with it.

Images came rushing back to Cosette's head with the sound of their voices. Being beaten, sweeping, cleaning, hiding, dirt under her fingernails, dust smudged on her face. With their voices, she was little again. She was a small child, dirty and unloved, hovered in a corner.

"I'm sorry..." Cosette pulled away after a few minutes.

Eponine just shook her head, smiling weakly, brushing the hair from Cosette's face. She knew how much she hated it when she tried to apologize, so she was just silent. Sometimes, silence is the best thing. They walked to Enjolras's apartment in silence, Cosette sniffling and wiping her eyes occasionally.

When they got there, Cosette had cleaned herself up. She smiled and practically jumped into Marius's arms after they got back. He held her just as tight, as if the one hour they spent away from each other seemed like one thousand days.

Marius glanced at Eponine, who had just handed her suitcase over to Enjolras. "Eponine?"

She looked up, surprised to hear his voice addressing her directly since before the wedding, when he needed her help with Cosette. "Yes?"

"I just want to say..." He looked down, sucking his cheeks in. "I just want to say that I'm proud of you."

"Oh..."

"I'm just proud of what you've become, over the time I've gotten to know you." He continued on, making sincere eye contact with her. "I want to thank you for showing me the light in my life with Cosette and for being a great friend. I'm glad that we will be friends for the rest of our lives."

Eponine smiled at him. "Thank you, Marius."

He nodded at her, grabbing Cosette's hand.

This was the first time she had faced him directly and felt nothing inside. No sort of love, yearning, pain, or passion. Just friendship. In that moment, she knew she loved Enjolras. She knew she no longer loved Marius.

Enjolras returned moments later, wrapping his arms around Eponine's waist like he always did. They felt love flood their hearts, sending shivers down their spines. Eponine swore she could feel a flutter in her stomach. She turned to look at Enjolras for confirmation, surprise flooding her eyes. He nodded back to her, the same surprise on his face, in confirmation.

Things were finally coming together. They would sell some of their old things to buy baby supplies, they had a home together, and they were both very much in love with each other.

It finally felt like things were going to be okay.

But only for a while.


	12. On The Brink Of Revolution

**A/N: Just a few more chapters left! Please review. I don't own Les Miserables.**

Four months had passed. Four happy months full of love and light between Eponine and Enjolras. They had both sold some of their old things and had bought all of the things that the baby needed. Eponine was now seven months pregnant.

They were both gleefully ignorant. Almost too ignorant. At least they were happily ignorant. But nonetheless, still ignorant.

Enjolras would sneak away late at night to hold meetings at the Cafe while Eponine stayed in bed, exhausted. Lamarque was certainly not improving, and it looked as if he could die any day now. Enjolras didn't mention any of this to Eponine.

But Eponine knew that Lamarque was worsening. Enjolras knew that she knew, too. He would come home late at night, his head buried in his hands. Eponine would push at him, asking what was wrong, even though she already knew. She tried to kiss the pain away like she used to be able to do, but now she couldn't. This was a whole different kind of pain. A real pain, urgent and horrible. Before, there had just been little worries and stresses here and there, but now they were on the brink of revolution.

Tonight was one of those nights. A night when Eponine slept soundly, subconsciously knowing where Enjolras was and why. Enjolras sat at the cafe, feeling guilty for leaving her so late, feeling lonely for her, and finding out some of the worst news he would ever hear.

Eponine's head jolted upright when she heard the front door to the apartment slamming. She looked around sleepily, crumpling the pillows in her fists when she saw Enjolras standing over the kitchen table, looking defeated. She frowned, got up from the bed, and went out to him.

Enjolras stood, looking down at the table, frustration curtaining his face. He has biting both of his cheeks stubbornly, and it almost looked like he would cry,

"Enjolras?" Eponine said softly, moving closer to him. He stayed in his position, stiffening by the second.

"_Dammit!_" Enjolras finally screamed, pounding his fists on the table.

She flinched, swallowing a lump in her throat. Her instinct was to run away from situations like this, because when this usually happened with other people, like her father, she walked away beaten and in tears. But now she waited for a moment, watching the frustration drain from his face.

Eponine walked over to him, still slightly jumpy, and perched up on her tip toes, resting her chin on his shoulder. He waited a moment, then turned around towards her, taking her up in a tight embrace. She held him back for as long as she could, nuzzling her face in the hollow of his shoulder.

She squirmed around uncomfortable, her stomach too big for him to hold her like that anymore. She could take it for a few moments, but after a while, it felt like she might explode in his arms. "Uh... Enjolras."

"Right." He sighed, setting her back down. The anger began to come back in his face, slowly but surely.

"Stop it." Eponine said softly, still wary of what she said and did. "Just tell me what's wrong."

He looked at her, then back down at the floor. "I'm sorry."

"What?"

"I'm so sorry, Eponine."

"Tell me what you're sorry about so I can decide if you should be or not." She began to grow impatient.

"_Oh my God_." Whatever was making him upset began to tug back at him.

"Enjolras!" She said sharply, snapping him out of his haze of sadness, anger, shock, and confusion.

He looked back up at her, and for a moment she thought he had tears in his eyes. "Lamarque is dead."

At first, Eponine didn't remember what this meant, but then she realized.

The revolution Enjolras and the students had been planning before any of them knew Eponine was finally going to happen. Now that Lamarque, the only man who cared about the people at the bottom of the pole, was dead, things would start to happen. Big things. Things that could, and would, change the world they all knew for better or for worse.

"Lamarque?" Eponine choked out, breathless.

Enjolras nodded.

"He's dead..." She said mostly to herself. "What does this mean?"

"It means that the revolution will finally begin." He said slowly. "He died earlier this afternoon."

Eponine just stood there, frozen, her lips parted slightly, her arms hanging stiffly at her side.

"His funeral is planned for four days from now. It will all begin when we make ourselves known there. We'll storm in and get the attention we've deserved for all these years."

"Oh..." It was all Eponine could say.

They both stood silently, thinking to themselves.

"I don't know. Of course I want this. I love France, and I'll defend it until I die." Enjolras hesitated on the last word. "But I have two other people to live for now. I know it will make fighting harder."

"Live? So, you're saying there's a chance of death?"

Enjolras just looked at her.

"I can't..." Eponine looked back at him. She had never thought this hard about it before. Before now, she had no reason to think about it, she didn't have anyone going into the revolution who she cared terribly for except for Marius. When her love for Marius was at its peak, the revolution was only an idea. But now the father of her unborn child was going to be out there, fighting for his life and the lives of others, the justice needed for the poorest people of France. "You don't mean..."

He just nodded sullenly.

"Enjolras... You can't just... No..." She began to feel lightheaded.

He moved to her side, holding her steady. When he did this, she began to cry. He held her the way he always did, from behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist. But this time, his hands rested over her stomach, holding both of them at once. This only made Eponine cry harder.

"Eponine..." He tried to shush her, although he was getting upset too.

"I don't want..." She gasped in and out between sobs. "You can't..."

"I have to, _mon ami_. I'm so sorry." He spoke softly and urgently, the way he had the night after they had truly discovered and fell for each other.

When she thought about that night and the oncoming revolution, it only made her cry more. She knew it was inevitable.

"Come..." Enjolras said softly, leading her back to bed.

She got into bed with him, sniffling occasionally. She tried to get comfortable again. They both lay there in the dark, eyes wide, completely awake.

"Eponine?" Enjolras was the first to break the silence.

"What?" She didn't mean for it to come out as harsh as it did.

"I just want you to know... That whatever happens... I love you."

"I'll be all alone. I'll be without you, Enjolras."

"No, you won't. You won't have to be without me. Neither of you will."

Eponine felt a kick in her stomach.

They both knew that what he said could either be very true or very wrong. They finally made eye contact with each other, each of their glances pained and sorrowful. They both caught each other in an embrace at the exact same second.

Neither of them slept that night or any of the nights following. Their days were filled with words of love and positive sayings, but they both knew.

And then the day came.


	13. Hear Me

**A/N: This chapter is when things start getting pretty intense. We're close to the ending now. I don't own Les Miserables. Reviews are very much appreciated. (:  
**

Eponine woke up to the booming round of gunshots.

Her eyes flew open, but she didn't flinch. She was used to waking up to strange sounds, especially when she stayed with her parents. The first thing she noticed was the lack of warmth in the bed, the absence of an arm wrapped around her stomach.

Then she made the connection.

The gunshots, Enjolras's body not there sleeping soundly next to her. His sleepy voice not saying good morning to her the moment she woke up, his messy blond curls that weren't there. She almost fell asleep again at the thought of it, the comforting thought of lying next to him. But then she remembered.

Today was the day.

She sat up as quickly as she could, which wasn't very quickly with her stomach, her eyes darting to the clock in front of her. It was almost noon. She threw the covers off of herself, stumbling up, waddling across the wooden floor, holding her stomach and struggling to catch her breath.

"Sit back down, let me explain." A small voice came from behind her.

Eponine cried out, especially jumpy. Her hand flew up to her chest as she caught herself. Cosette stood in the doorway of her bedroom, looking oddly frazzled as opposed to her normal nonchalant facial expressions. But somehow she still managed to look fashionable and beautiful while looking alarmed.

Everything about the whole situation was so odd, so she obeyed Cosette, sitting back down on the bed. Cosette sat next to her, putting her hand over Eponine's comfortingly.

"Marius suggested I stay locked up at Papa's in Rue Plumet, since our home is so close to the..." Cosette swallowed, pursing her pink lips. "...To the barricades. But I didn't want to be alone. And I certainly didn't want to leave you alone in your... condition. You look like you could pop at any moment."

"I have another month yet. I'm only eight months along."

Cosette raised her eyebrows in protest, thinking otherwise. She was too big to be only eight months. But she shook her head, dismissing it. "The battle has begun, Eponine."

Eponine froze for a moment, caught off guard by her sudden bluntness. "You don't mean...?"

She just nodded.

Eponine looked around the room, spotting a rather large window in the corner. Cosette's eyes followed her stare, but Eponine lept to it before she could stop her.

"No! Eponine!" Cosette cried after her, grabbing at her nightgown too late, coming back with empty hands.

Eponine unlatched the window and nearly threw herself out, her top half perched outside. She tried to see Enjolras, but could only see very small figures in the distance. Turning her head to the left, she could see shadows standing on top of the barricade.

She recognized the person perched on the very top of it as Enjolras.

"Enjolras!" She cried out, her throat already achingat the first syllable. "Enjolras!"

He couldn't hear her over the other sounds of screaming men and guns being fired, she was just another cry in the distance. She was so frustrated. Why couldn't he hear her? Why couldn't he hear her and come home? Just one more month. One more month and everything would be okay. They would have a beautiful child. Why couldn't this have waited for just one more month?

Eponine felt herself start to cry. Why couldn't she just reach out the window and pluck him up from the danger of the streets? Cosette grabbed Eponine's shoulders, pulling her out from the open.

"No!" Eponine thrashed forward again, farther this time. "Oh, God! Enjolras! Please! Enjolras, please! Hear me!"

Cosette wasn't used to physically holding somebody back from something, so she just let Eponine yell out the window, louder and louder each time, to no avail. Cosette stared after her sadly, wishing she could do something to make her feel better.

"Cosette?" Eponine turned around, her eyes red. "Why isn't he responding to me? Why can't he hear me?"

"If he could hear you, he would listen and respond, I can promise you that. But you're just one voice of thousands, Eponine. I'm sorry." Cosette explained quickly, although she knew nothing would help. She wrung her hands together helplessly.

"Please!" She tried one last time, screaming. "Please, Enjolras! Look at me! Look at us!" She paused a moment, sniffling and wiping her face with the back of her hand. She stared after him, blinking rapidly. She stood there for a few more minutes, staring after him, knowing there was nothing she could do now.

"I love you." Eponine said one last time, breathlessly, before closing the window.

Cosette took Eponine into her arms, the roles reversed from last time when Cosette had cried. She shook considerably, choking and crying harder by the minute.

But suddenly, she felt something different, a giant release of pressure. She could feel something running down her leg. Water gathered at her feet.

She looked down, sniffling. Cosette followed her gaze, and jumped up immediately. For some reason, she looked excited.

Eponine stood up, slightly shocked. She looked at Cosette innocently. There was dead silence in the room, except for the noises of gunshots and screams coming from outside.

"Cosette?" Eponine's voice cracked, looking down at herself in disgust, unsure of what had just occurred.

"Eponine!" She responded, nearly squealing, staring at the only light and glimmer of hope at that moment. "You know what this means! Oh!"

But Eponine still stood there stupidly, disgusted by the fluid that was forming a puddle on the floor.

Cosette rolled her eyes half-jokingly. "You're water! It broke!"

"My...?" She looked back at Cosette, her eyebrows furrowed. Now, she was completely distracted. The tears on her cheeks were drying. Cosette was determined to keep her distracted for as long as possible.

"Water. You're water."

"What...?"

"It's a sign that you'll go into labor soon. The water sac breaks before you start going into labor."

"How do you know this?" Eponine cocked her head, sniffling.

"I took some notes from Joly." Cosette admitted. It was the truth, she had followed behind Marius one night when he went to the cafe for a meeting. She pulled Joly to the side and tried to remember the most important things if Eponine were to go into labor at an obscure time.

And here she was, going into labor at an obscure time.

"So, what does this mean?" Eponine asked, slightly shocked.

"It means that we're going to have to try to get you to a hospital. There's one just down the street. The barricade is a few blocks down. We should be able to sneak over there quickly. It will have to be fast. There will be a lot of people there to help, too, given the circumstance..." Cosette continued talking, all while grabbing Eponine's suitcase and stuffing some of her dresses inside.

Eponine's mouth gaped open. She was going to give birth to her first child while it's father was fighting for his life on the barricade.

The two most important people in her life were facing their biggest moments so far. One, life. The other, possible death.


	14. Born Into Light

**A/N: One chapter after this. I do not own Les Miserables. Please review!  
**

An hour later, Eponine was all settled in bed. They had made it to the small hospital, huddled under Eponine's old brown coat, skimming the alley walls.

The labor pains were coming and going in strange intervals, feeling ten times worse than anything she had ever felt before. Unfortunately, Eponine was no stranger to pain. The pain she felt was the equivalent to her menstrual cramps and the pains that came with a few days without food, combined, times ten. She handled it well, only crying out every once in a while.

Cosette stood at her side, holding her hand when the pains got worse. Kind words were muttered by nurses who were helping Eponine.

Nobody else was in the hospital except for them, which was a good sign to everybody involved. The sounds of battle continued outside.

"It's funny..." Cosette said quietly, brushing Eponine's hair from her sweaty forehead.

"What?" Eponine asked, her mouth hung open tiredly.

"How you were my maid of honor at my wedding and now I'm the first person with you to give birth."

Just the word_ birth_ terrified Eponine, she leaned over the bed and threw up into the bucket on the floor next to her.

"_Ew_..." Cosette said quietly.

"You might want to leave, it's about to get a lot worse." Eponine joked.

Cosette couldn't help but laugh, a light airy sound that calmed Eponine immensely. On the outside, Eponine looked okay. She looked normal for being a woman in labor with her first child. Her hair put up messily, sweating, red faced, occasionally crying from the pain.

But on the inside, she was a whole different sort of mess.

All she wanted at that moment was Enjolras. Enjolras replacing Cosette, stroking her hair, holding her hand, making dumb jokes like he did at the wedding. When everything was new and beautiful.

All she wanted was him.

"Cosette..." Eponine said softly, her throat aching from screaming earlier that day. "Thank you."

Cosette smiled down at her, handing her a small glass of water. "I know you'd do the same for me."

Eponine drank from the glass gratefully. It was true.

Suddenly, a contraction, stronger than any of the ones before, tore at her lower half. Eponine breathed heavily, tears spilling involuntarily from her eyes.

A nurse came over to her, watching over her with concerned eyes.

Horrible contractions kept coming, one right after the other.

"I think it's time to start pushing." The nurse leaned over to Eponine, talking in a soft voice that had an air of caution in it.

"What?" Eponine shook her head, swallowing. "Oh... No."

"Eponine..." Cosette said softly, squeezing her hand.

"We need to wait for Enjolras." She said confidently, looking at the nurse.

"Oh, we're waiting on somebody?" The nurse asked, turning to both of them.

"No, we're not, thank you." Cosette replied quietly. The nurse then nodded, suddenly understanding as another round of gunshots sounded from outside. She looked back at Eponine sadly. The other nurse came over, wheeling over a table of instruments and prepping it.

"We need to wait for Enjolras." Eponine said again before another contraction hit her. It was hard for her _not_ to push. She started to cry again, Cosette bent down to kiss her head.

The rest of the time was a blur. The nurse instructed Cosette, who stood attentively, to hold Eponine's foot while she pushed. Soon, the nurse was looking into Eponine's eyes, cupping her face in her broad hands, muttering encouraging words. Eponine closed her eyes, a small smile coming across her lips, pretending her hands were those of Enjolras.

Then she began pushing.

Eponine kept her eyes closed for most of the time. But every once in a while she would crack them open, seeing Cosette smiling down at her, jumping up and down and cheering for Eponine to keep pushing. The nurses were talking. Eponine heard the words "soon" and "quickly" used many times.

"Take a break," The nurse said to Eponine softly. "The child is being stubborn, we'll let you rest for a moment."

Eponine turned to Cosette, whose face was lit up, her eyes shining in the dim light of the hospital.

"Are you crying?" Eponine muttered, her voice cracking.

"A little," Cosette admitted, wiping her own eyes with the pad of her thumb.

Eponine laughed, exhausted, her head rested back on the pillow.

"Cosette?"

"Yes?"

"I know it's a little late, but will you be the godmother?"

This brought a whole new ray of light to Cosette's face, her eyes swelled up even more. "Really? You mean it?"

"Of course, but please don't cry."

Cosette did, tears of happiness spilling down her porcelain cheeks. She cried silently, smiling brightly. The only time Eponine had seen her smile wider was at her wedding, when she said her vows.

"I should be the one crying..." Eponine laughed softly, her eyelids falling. She didn't know how exhausting labor could be. She was falling asleep, contractions tugging at her with reckless abandon, but she was too tired to care.

"We need to start pushing again," One of the nurses came by a few minutes later, right as Eponine fell into a deep sleep.

"Okay..." Cosette said excitedly, repositioning the sleeping girl in front of her. "Alright, Eponine, breathe in and out." She glanced down. "You're getting close. You're really getting close."

A haze washed over Eponine as she began pushing again. Even though she had only been in labor for a few hours, it was really taking a toll on her, she was completely exhausted.

"I'm so tired." Eponine complained after thirty minutes of straight pushing. "Can't we just... postpone it?"

Cosette shook her head, still smiling after all this time. "Just a few more pushes, I promise you, Eponine." Her cheeks were getting rosier by the minute.

Eponine's body rolled up from the pillow and nearly screamed, a contraction hitting her. Cosette patted at her forehead with her knitted handkerchief, grinning and whipsering encouragements.

Eponine focused on the ceiling above, her vision blurring. The nurses were yelling things to each other, orders and preparations. Cosette cried out, a happy sound like a bird chirping.

Relief washed all over Eponine's body as cries filled the air.

Cries belonging to a newborn.

There was dead silence in the room, except for the cries coming from the infant. Eponine thought for a moment that she could hear Cosette gasp softly, but she wasn't sure. She was too weak to open her eyes, but she was relieved all the same. A strange sort of tingling sensation was running up and down her body.

Eponine opened her eyes slowly but surely as the nurse wheeled the baby out of the room on a trey, making small, cooing noises to it.

"My baby..." Eponine said softly. "What is she doing with my baby?"

"They needed to take it to another room," Cosette said reassuringly, a fresh stream of tears coming down her face. "She's a month premature, of course. But she just needs to be swaddled and warm."

"Did you see it?"

Cosette nodded, crying even more. "She's beautiful, Eponine. It's a girl. She has your eyes."

Eponine began to cry too, partly from exhaustion, partly from happiness. She was beginning to feel sick, sweating more than she had before.

"Oh, Eponine, she is beautiful. She looks just like Enjolras. She already has his blonde curls. But her eyes are her best feature. She has your big, brown eyes. You should have seen her, Eponine."

"I'm in love already..." Eponine smiled up at the ceiling, noticing that her vision was getting blurrier. She excused it as exhaustion.

The nurse stood at the other end of Eponine, her face turning ghost white. "We need towels!" She called to the nurse in the other room.

Cosette looked at the nurse. "For what? What do you need towels for?"

The nurse looked at Cosette warily.

While this was happening, a man was being carried in on a stretcher. It looked as if he had been shot, blood soaked through the tarp and dripped onto the floor thickly. Eponine glanced over at him as they lay him down in his bed, his skin paling by the minute.

"Did you see her, monsieur?" Eponine asked, her voice croaking. "Did you see my new beautiful baby girl?"

He didn't respond, he just stared back at her, shock, amazement, happiness, and grief flooding his blue eyes all at the same time.

Eponine recognized the man as Enjolras.


	15. Bloom

**A/N: This is the last chapter. I really enjoyed writing this. Thank you all so much for all the reviews, follows, and favorites. Please leave your final reviews! I don't own Les Miserables.**

The first thing Eponine thought was that she was dreaming. It was all too good to be true. The love of her life in the hospital with her right after they had their first child together. Of course he hadn't been there while she was going through all the pain, but she was willing to forgive him for that. That baby marked the start of their new life together, a world full of happiness.

But then she realized...

Enjolras had been shot.

Somewhere in the chest, she thought. That's where most of the blood was coming from.

Eponine glanced over at him tiredly, blinking rapidly while the nurses across from her started panicking. Panicking for both Enjolras and Eponine.

"You came..." Eponine said softly. "You heard me."

"I'm here..." Was all he could say in return, equally as soft, his eyes searching hers urgently. His soul was still in his injured body, but was slipping away second by second. As was hers.

"Eponine!" Cosette was crying again. But these weren't happy tears, these were frantic, panicked tears. She shook Eponine's shoulders, trying to bring her back, while trying to hand more cloth down to the nurses at the same time.

"She's losing a lot of blood..." One of the nurses said.

"Please, Eponine, oh God!" Cosette was nearly screaming.

Enjolras glanced at the scene happening before him as the other nurses tried to patch up his chest wound to no avail. There was a pained look on his face. His expression wasn't caused by his wound, but watching Eponine die.

Death.

Something that was occurring to both of them at a slow, but mostly painless rate.

Both of them were losing a lot of blood, their faces growing paler, their tongues growing harder to move, harder to speak.

"Enjolras..." Eponine said, gathering enough strength to reach her hand out towards him. "Take it..."

He reached his hand out towards her, their hands meeting in the gap between the hospital beds. They both felt their souls soar with happiness inside of them.

"Did you see her?" Eponine asked. "Did you see our beautiful baby?"

Enjolras shook his head, feeling himself begin to cry. He tried to move his other hand to stroke the side of her face, to comfort her, but he couldn't. His whole left side was going numb, the side where he had been shot. This was the worst feeling he had experienced so far, not being able to touch her as much as he wanted.

"I didn't see her either. But I heard she was truly beautiful. And if she looks like you, like Cosette said she did, I know for a fact that she is."

Enjolras looked at her for a moment, struggling to open his mouth.

"Do you remember..." He drifted off, Eponine squeezed his hand with everything she had, which wasn't a lot. "Do you remember when I promised you, you wouldn't have to be without me?"

Eponine nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"It's true. You won't be. We'll be together, Eponine." Enjolras ran his thumb over her fingers weakly. "And our baby won't be without me either. I will watch over her."

Eponine began to doze off, her eyes fluttering open and closed. She could feel Cosette's hands on her shoulders, as small and far away as the flutter of a butterfly's wing as she shook her occasionally.

"There's nothing we can do..." She heard through a thick haze covering her head. "She's already lost too much blood..."

"Eponine! Please!" Cosette cried. Eponine could feel the weight of Cosette's head on her chest.

But all she could see was Enjolras.

Her eyes rested on him, her head turned to the left like it had been when she yelled out for him earlier in the day. Could it have just been a few hours ago? So much had happened since then. She had given birth, she was watching her soulmate die.

She was dying herself.

"Do you remember when we first met each other?" Enjolras asked.

"Do you mean when we met each other or when we _met_ each other?"

"When we _met _each other."

"We sure didn't waist any time, did we?" Eponine laughed, a choking sound, her eyes glazing over.

"I've loved you ever since then."

They stopped talking for a moment, just to look at each other. Just to get one good look at each other for one last time while they were still alive.

Enjolras looked tired. If he could of seen himself, he would of thought that he looked just like his father. He had deep rings under his eyes, his hair pushed back. But above all, he looked happy.

Eponine looked overjoyed and exhausted. Her dark eyelashes fluttered, matched up with dark eye sockets, which had sunken in considerably.

They both looked perfect to each other.

"Don't die before me..." Eponine said, more quiet than a whisper. But she knew Enjolras would hear her. "Don't you dare die before me. Don't leave me here alone."

"I won't." He responded just as quietly.

"Please don't leave me."

"I promise." Enjolras said slowly.

Eponine nodded, a smile coming across her pale face.

She took her last breath, followed seconds after by his.

"Eponine, don't do this! Please!" Cosette shook Eponine's shoulders as her eyes rested on Enjolras. Eponine's lips moved slowly and without sound, but she noticed that his were doing the same. They seemed to be understanding each other. But why couldn't Eponine hear her? She felt the frustration that Eponine had felt earlier in the day. "Eponine! Listen to me!"

The nurses of both patients looked on at the three people with misery in their hearts, mostly for Cosette. They saw how deeply in love and ready the patients were to die, how content they were with the whole ordeal, as if they had been waiting for death all of their lives.

But Cosette, on the other hand, looked panicked. She shook Eponine continually. They would be concerned if Eponine hadn't already been dying, Cosette was shaking her so hard. She was sobbing now.

The words echoed in her head, the words that she had said to Eponine the day she helped her move in with Enjolras.

_I always get what I want._

It was true, she did. But why was now the only time that she didn't? Why now, the only time that getting what she wanted had really mattered, was she denied?

She stared up at the ceiling in defeat, giving up and letting the tears stream freely down her face. Cosette looked down again and saw that Eponine's chest was no longer moving. Cosette only clasped her hand over her own mouth, too tired, emotionally and physically, to cry anymore.

Cosette glanced over at Enjolras, who had also stopped breathing. Both of them looked so peaceful, their eyes closed, their constant looks of worry relieved from their usually pinched faces.

Their hands were still wrapped in each other's, fingers intertwined infinitely.

The nurses stared after Cosette, she couldn't bear looking at her friends any longer. Cosette wiped her face, smoothed her dress out, got up from the bed, and walked into the back room, where she had seen some of the nurses go earlier. None of them said anything.

She found the baby swaddled tightly, lying in a crib and sleeping soundly.

Cosette couldn't bring herself to wake her up, not yet. She picked her up slowly, making shushing noises under her breath, rocking her back in forth in her arms.

Horrible tragedy can sometimes bring a beautiful blessing.

A blessing, left only by her two best friends.

Cradling the baby in her arms, Cosette began to feel an all new happiness bloom inside of her.


End file.
